‘Run for excellence’, other events mark ARTRAC’s Raising Day

The Army Training Command (ARTRAC) is commemorating its 35th Raising Day in Shimla, with several events being organised to mark the occasion. The events kicked-off with a captivating band display at the Ridge Maidan, where the Indian Army Symphony Band showcased a diverse repertoire, ranging from inspiring military music to popular Bollywood numbers.

On September 28, a ‘run for excellence’ was flagged off by Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ARTRAC. The three-km upslope stretch from the Institute of Advance Studies to the Ridge witnessed enthusiastic participation by the troops, families and children, displaying the spirit of unity, pride and camaraderie.

The ARTRAC chief, while appreciating the participants, emphasised the importance of staying fit and healthy, especially in today’s digital age. He further highlighted ARTRAC’s commitment towards physical fitness as a part of the Fit India initiative. The run ended with a fun and cooling down Zumba session.

One of the seven commands of the Indian Army, ARTRAC was raised at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh in 1991 with Lt Gen AS Kalkat as its first commander and moved to Shimla in March 1993.

ARTRAC is responsible for institutionalised training in the Army through 34 training establishments spread all over the country, formulating military doctrines and integrating new technologies and innovations into the training curriculum.

The Command plays a vital role in the development of military leadership at various levels and is the central coordinating body for all training activities within the Indian Army, besides studying global events and absorbing lessons from them. With recent conflicts having established that technology will play a decisive role in the outcome of all future conflicts, 15 major Army training establishments are evolving as ‘Centres of Expertise’ for adopting 33 niche technologies.

ARTRAC has developed a comprehensive plan to adopt all these technologies by 2030, with a planned investment of Rs 390?crore in research and development, infrastructure development and training over the next five years. As part of the Army’s roadmap for ‘Decade of Transformation’ and ‘Year of Technology Absorption’, ARTRAC has undertaken 57 initiatives in the domains of jointness and integration, force re-structuring, technology absorption and modernisation, systems, processes and functions and human resources management.